Bleach, in particular halogen bleach, is often used to remove bleachable stains from white fabrics. White fabrics seem to loose their whiteness with time due to use, exposure to light and sometimes laundry processes. Bleach, in particular halogen bleach, can contribute to the deterioration of the appearance of white fabrics. Bleach can also leave on washed items an odour that users can sometimes find unpleasant.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,191 recognises the problem of yellowing of synthetic fibres caused by hypochlorite bleach. The solution proposed by '191 is the addition of silicate to the hypochlorite composition. U.S. Pat. No. 6,534,463 proposes the use of borate, boric acid and metal oxide in a hypochlorite containing composition to avoid yellowing of fabrics.
There is still a need for laundry methods and laundry additives which provide good soil removal and at the same time provide a good whitening profile and leave the washed items free of bleach odour. There is also a need for laundry methods with improved environmental profiles.